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These States Are Most Likely To Legalize Pot Next

Attorney General Eric Holder gave a green light
on Thursday to two states whose efforts to legalize marijuana had been
locked in by legal uncertainty for more than nine months. With that
announcement, Colorado and Washington -- both of which passed pro-pot
initiatives at the polls last November -- can now proceed with
establishing a framework for the taxation and regulation of legal weed
for adults.

The administration's decision holds clear and immediate implications
for the two states, both of which had been hesitant to act too quickly
over concerns that the government might decide to enforce federal law,
which still considers marijuana an illegal substance.

But the move also, and perhaps more importantly, throws open the
gates for other states to pursue similar pot legalization efforts, so
long as they include "strong and effective regulatory and enforcement systems." Experts on both sides of the issue have already said they expect to see movement come quickly.

A similar pattern held for medical marijuana. The movement made
steady progress up until 2009, when the Obama administration announced
it would allow states to implement medical pot laws without federal
interference. That promise turned out to be heavily footnoted,
but the pledge itself ushered in a flood of ballot and legislative
activity that burst the medical marijuana dam over the next four years.
Thursday's announcement can be expected to do the same.

Public support for legal pot has surged in recent years at both state and national
levels, with a majority of U.S. voters now in favor. This suggests that
legalization would be most viable in states that allow citizen ballot
initiatives. State lawmakers could also potentially take the reins on
legalizing cannabis as the issue becomes more mainstream, however, like
they did in New Jersey in 2010 with the passage of a bill approving
medical marijuana.

Political dynamics are at play, too. Democratic strategists hoping to
goose youth- and liberal-voter turnout in 2014 are incentivized to put
pot on the ballot, though weed advocates themselves are better off
running campaigns during presidential years, when the electorate doesn't
skew as elderly as it does during midterms.

Below, the states that are most likely to take the next steps toward legalizing marijuana:

Alaska

Marijuana reformers in Alaska have been hard at work trying to make their state the next to legalize pot. In June, a ballot measure
to tax and regulate pot and legalize it for adult recreational use was
certified. Organizers must now collect at least 30,169 valid signatures
of registered Alaska voters by December 2013, which would ensure that
the initiative receives a vote in the primary election on Aug. 19, 2014.

Pot has already been decriminalized and legalized for medical use in Alaska. A survey of Alaska voters taken earlier this year by Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling found that 54 percent supported legalizing marijuana.

Arizona

In June, marijuana legalization proponents began a campaign
to gather the 259,213 signatures they'll need in order to get the issue
on the 2014 ballot. The language of the proposed measure is rather
expansive, and also includes a system of state taxation and regulation.

Marijuana was legalized in the state for medical use in 2010 by ballot initiative. A poll taken earlier this year found that 56 percent of Arizonans supported legalizing some amount of cannabis.

California

A statewide initiative to legalize marijuana failed in California in 2010, but reformers are hoping to find success in 2014 and beyond. Earlier this month, organizers filed the California Hemp Act 2014, a measure that would legalize cannabis
both in its standard and non-psychoactive forms. Beginning Oct. 1, the
campaign will have 150 days to gather 750,000 valid signatures from
California voters in order to get the issue on the 2014 ballot.

Marijuana has already been decriminalized and legalized for medical use in California. A poll taken earlier this year found that 54 percent of Californians support legalizing pot.

Nevada

Marijuana advocates in Nevada have yet to mount a large-scale effort
to get legalization on the ballot in an upcoming election, as most
organizers in the state see 2016 as their best chance for a push. The liberal bent of the state
makes it a popular target for reformers, however, and it's not yet
clear whether Thursday's DOJ decision could increase desire for more
immediate action.

Nevada has legalized medical marijuana, and earlier this year the state passed a measure establishing a dispensary system to help increase access for sick citizens. According to a recent poll, 56 percent of Nevadans would favor legalizing cannabis for recreational use if the money raised went to fund education.

Oregon has already decriminalized marijuana and legalized it for medical use. According to a poll taken in May, 57 percent of likely voters in Oregon support a proposal to tax, regulate and legalize marijuana for recreational use.

Maine

The Marijuana Policy Project, a pro-pot advocacy group, has announced
Maine as one of its top targets for legalization in upcoming election
cycles. An initiative circulating through the state Legislature fell painfully short
in a state House vote earlier this year, but MPP has announced plans to
help coordinate a grassroots campaign to get a legalization measure on
the ballot in 2016.

Marijuana has been decriminalized and approved for medical use in Maine. According to a PPP poll released this week, 48 percent of registered voters in Maine believe pot should be legal for recreational use.

Massachusetts

The deep-blue New England state is being eyed as a prime opportunity for legalization, with marijuana reform advocates pointing to
high margins of support for previous pro-pot initiatives. No official
campaign for a ballot initiative has been launched yet, though many
predict it is only a matter of time.

Massachusetts has decriminalized marijuana and just last November passed a ballot measure legalizing it for medical use. A February PPP poll found that 58 percent of the state's residents would be in favor of legalizing, taxing and regulating cannabis.

Montana

Montana has had a checkered history with marijuana laws. Voters
passed an initiative legalizing cannabis for medical use in 2004, but
opponents have since taken various steps to amend the measure or repeal
it all together. Reform advocates remain hopeful that voters will
support full legalization. They wasted no time following the 2012
election, filing a ballot question in hopes of putting the issue before voters in 2014.

There are no recent statewide surveys to gauge current support for
pot legalization, though previous polls have showed a majority of
Montana voters supporting the decriminalizing of marijuana.

Rhode Island

Marijuana advocates have high hopes that Rhode Island will be one of
the first in the next round of states to legalize. This could come
through a ballot initiative, but Rob Kampia, the executive director of
MPP, recently said
the issue could be ripe for state lawmakers to take on. While there's
not yet a high-profile campaign to get legalization on an upcoming
ballot, the state Legislature did consider a bill on the matter last
session. While lawmakers debated the legislation and invited witnesses
to testify on its merits, they never held a vote.

Rhode Island recently decriminalized marijuana and passed legalized medical marijuana around 2007. A PPP poll taken in January found that 52 percent of voters in the state support legalizing pot for recreational use.

Vermont

Vermont has made strides to scale back marijuana prohibition over the
past year, with a successful measure to decriminalize and a separate
bill to establish a system of dispensaries for the state's medical
cannabis patients. Observers see
the state's strong support for the recent reelection of Gov. Peter
Shumlin (D), an advocate for marijuana reform, as a sign that voters
could get behind a ballot initiative to legalize. There is no
large-scale effort toward this end yet, but a legalization bill was
introduced in the state Legislature last session. It didn't receive a
vote.

Polls have consistently shown Vermonters to be supportive of efforts to scale back prohibition on marijuana.

That's way too time consuming, which means too much money spent. Marijuana gets no free pass just like alcohol gets no free pass. A hangover is simply severe dehydration the next day easily cured by pounding water and upping the salt intake. The alcohol is not in the system anymore unless they're DRUNK.its metabolized WAY faster than marijuana. It's just an ugly fact that marijuana has a bigger half life. I'm not for more legislation. I'm a libertarian. I want LESS restrictions. Which means business is free to hire whomever they want. You wanna change that? If the people TRULY are bugged out by drug testing, they'll stop purchasing from those companies. Free enterprise. But the fact is, most people don't care. Because most people don't smoke enough marijuana for it to interfere with their work.

Quoting autodidact:

so can being hung over or overtired from working multiple jobs, video game marathons, etc. even having a bad head cold can put you in a fog to the point where you wouldn't be functioning optionally in terms of work performance.

it seems a better solution than testing is some kind of quick test of reflexes and/or thought (accuracy at math problems, for example) given on a computer at the start of each shift, possibly again after a lunch break if you're concerned with drinking at lunch, to show the person is competent. it could even be tailored to varying industries (driving simulation, math, memory, eye-hand coordination, etc.

Quoting JackandJayne:

They don't have a right to your personal life. But they have the right to know if their employees have THC in their system as it can impair memory, learning, and attention for 24 hours after use. They'd have to use a blood test to see exactly how much is in the system. It's their right as a private business as there are many drug free men/women waiting in line for a job and willing to go along with that company's laws. That won't change, and if it did, the business would simply close up and move to any area where they could be free to choose who they felt were most qualified for the job.

Quoting Friday:

Quoting JackandJayne:

Well, if you smoke it fairly often or just within moderation even, you aren't going to notice that you're not fully grounded. Think of it like this, when you take a Vicodin, it has a half life of almost 4 hours. So by this time, only half is in your system and you'll feel it's either wearing off or just not doing its job anymore. But, if you went to do something that Vicodin normally impairs, you'll be able to function, but not FULLY functioning on a normal system (but you won't be feeling high). Same with weed, so to be cautious and avoid lawsuits, they need their employees to be beyond the half-life.

Quoting Friday:

Quoting JackandJayne:

Do you mean the saliva test? Because they already have that. But it's really weak as it will only pick up the drug within a 24 hour period on average.

Quoting Friday:

Quoting JackandJayne:

That's correct, because THC has a half-life of 10 to 13 days. You'd have to be off of work quite awhile before you could come back.

Quoting unspecified42:

Unfortunately, even if I lived in a state where it was legal I couldn't partake because of my job, I'd bet.

I read that someone was working on a swab test that would be more accurate but that was awhile back. Hopefully something comes of it.

I would think 24 hours would be enough. It stays in your system but that doesn't mean you are still impaired.

That's ridiculous considering people can pop a UA for mj for up to 30 days after, depending on use. My husband once failed a UA almost 2 months after his last use. I don't buy that he was still impaired in any way. It's none of my employers business what I did over 24 hours before coming to work. I'm tired of this acceptance of the idea that our employers have the right to every detail of our personal life.

They don't have a right to your personal life. But they have the right to know if their employees have THC in their system as it can impair memory, learning, and attention for 24 hours after use. They'd have to use a blood test to see exactly how much is in the system. It's their right as a private business as there are many drug free men/women waiting in line for a job and willing to go along with that company's laws. That won't change, and if it did, the business would simply close up and move to any area where they could be free to choose who they felt were most qualified for the job.

Quoting Friday:

Quoting JackandJayne:

Well, if you smoke it fairly often or just within moderation even, you aren't going to notice that you're not fully grounded. Think of it like this, when you take a Vicodin, it has a half life of almost 4 hours. So by this time, only half is in your system and you'll feel it's either wearing off or just not doing its job anymore. But, if you went to do something that Vicodin normally impairs, you'll be able to function, but not FULLY functioning on a normal system (but you won't be feeling high). Same with weed, so to be cautious and avoid lawsuits, they need their employees to be beyond the half-life.

Quoting Friday:

Quoting JackandJayne:

Do you mean the saliva test? Because they already have that. But it's really weak as it will only pick up the drug within a 24 hour period on average.

Quoting Friday:

Quoting JackandJayne:

That's correct, because THC has a half-life of 10 to 13 days. You'd have to be off of work quite awhile before you could come back.

Quoting unspecified42:

Unfortunately, even if I lived in a state where it was legal I couldn't partake because of my job, I'd bet.

I read that someone was working on a swab test that would be more accurate but that was awhile back. Hopefully something comes of it.

I would think 24 hours would be enough. It stays in your system but that doesn't mean you are still impaired.

That's ridiculous considering people can pop a UA for mj for up to 30 days after, depending on use. My husband once failed a UA almost 2 months after his last use. I don't buy that he was still impaired in any way. It's none of my employers business what I did over 24 hours before coming to work. I'm tired of this acceptance of the idea that our employers have the right to every detail of our personal life.

So can a number of other things like hangover or plain old lack of sleep. I know, used to drink a lot and worked many days w/o taking my sunglasses off.

Unless I'm unable to do my job or obviously intoxicated, it's none of my employers business what I do when I'm not working. I also know plenty of people who can work when medicated, whether it's mj or opiates. I was taking opiates daily the last couple of years I worked due to pain issues and never had any problems, even got promoted once.

Over in CA I heard that employers do the drug screening but they look for harder drugs. Testing positive for MJ does not mean automatic dismissal anymore. But of course it does depend on the employer.

Quoting lizzielouaf:

I could still be fired because pot isn't legal federally however this is really being challenged by the ADA, for medical marijuana users. Some employers are now adopting, job non safety intensive, the don't ask don't tell no test policy. Specifically not testing for THC. The issue, legally, is if recreational use is legal someone who uses off the job can still test positive because even recreational THC use doesn't clear the system from weekend use. Legally it's very interesting.

Quoting unspecified42:

Unfortunately, even if I lived in a state where it was legal I couldn't partake because of my job, I'd bet.

Depends on the employer, dh has found a number of places that don't test at all. There was legislation to protect medical mj patients but the Governator vetoe'd it. I wish they would bring it back up and we could push Brown to sign it. If one has a script, then employers shouldn't be able to discriminate.

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